THE CONTEMPORARY CLUB

“Built circa 1861, this Italianate style building was purchased by The Contemporary Club, a women’s philanthropic organization in 1912. Since that time, this former residence has served as the Club’s headquarters.” – Downtown Trenton Artwalk

“This pioneer club was The Contemporary, the object of which was ‘to create an organized center of thought and action among women in Tren¬ton and to stimulate an interest in science, literature, art, social and ethical culture that will render the members helpful to one another and useful to society’ . . . The first meeting was held March 12, 1897 . . . Mrs. Alexander F. Jamieson, of Lawrenceville, daughter of Edward Wallace Scudder, justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, was the first president of The Contemporary . . . Not until . . . 1909-11 did The Contemporary have a club house of its own. In the early days it met first at the Trenton House and later at the State Schools, and occasionally at the Old Barracks. The club bought for its home the property at 176 West State Street, which it has since greatly improved and still occupies. – Trenton Historical Society, A History of Trenton 1679-1929